2014 Silverado vs. 1963 C-10. The ultimate battle of supremacy

If you turn on the television at this very moment, there will be a Chevy commercial on one of the stations proclaiming “Silverado vs. …”  Then they’ll put it up against a Ford or Ram, or the perils of the desert, or whatever might pose a challenge to the all-new 2014 Silverado.  I recently had the chance to drive a new Silverado LTZ Z71 Crew Cab, but I didn’t have a comparable F-150 sitting around.  So I did my own Silverado vs.  This one is “Silverado vs. the Hover Motor Company 1963 C-10.”  You will undoubtedly learn all about the latest full-sized Chevy truck from this hard-hitting bit of reporting.  Or just look at the article I wrote about the 2014 GMC Sierra a couple of weeks ago.  They’re pretty similar.

So on the surface, I’m sure you’re telling yourself that the 2014 Silverado and the ’63 C-10 are basically the same truck.  I mean, they are both short boxes.  They both have four tires.  They both have Chevy bowties on them somewhere.  Twins, right?  Well surprisingly, there are some differences.  First of all, one is Ruby Red Metallic, and the other is Crystal Turquoise Metallic.  More importantly, one is a crew cab, and one is a regular cab.

I used five coworkers to scientifically test which is better, the crew cab in the ‘14 or the regular cab in the ‘63.  In the regular cab test, four of the coworkers complained of lack of shoulder room.  One of them reported something hard and metal poking her in the hip.  One of the participants, your author, was unable to enter the cab at all.  Next, we put the same number of people in the crew cab of the new Silverado.  There was a complete change of attitude.  All five people not only fit inside the truck, but fit comfortably.  They raved about the spaciousness, interior quality, and lack of raw gasoline odor.  For the interior roominess portion of Silverado vs. C-10, Silverado wins.

Next, I went out to take these pictures in front of a dentist’s office, which was closed at the time.  I went back to roll up a window in the 2014 Silverado, and didn’t realize that I had activated the automatic door locks until it hit me that the keys were still in the ignition.  While I was calling someone to get the PIN number so I could call OnStar and get the truck unlocked, the dentist showed up wondering what the hell we were doing there.  Eventually, a magic beam from outer space did unlock the truck, and the dentist decided not to call the police.  Advantage: Silverado?  Maybe not.  On the ’63, you actually have to use the ignition key to manually lock the driver’s door, so it is impossible to lock your key in there.  C-10 wins this round.

Now let’s compare infotainment systems.  The 2014 features Chevy’s MyLink system, where a touch screen integrates the navigation system, backup camera, satellite radio, and mobile devices.  The ’63 has a compass stuck to the windshield, but I’ve never been able to set it exactly right.  It doesn’t have any radio at all, and the most entertaining thing is a chrome-plated accessory Chevrolet tissue dispenser.  Now, I suppose if you had a cold and needed to blow your nose immediately, the ’63 would win.  But I’m going to reluctantly have to give the nod to the 2014.  I do love the NASCAR channel.

Specifications are a veritable tennis match.  The ’63 only weighs 3,235-lbs, while the ’14 comes in at a ponderous 5,218-lbs.  Point: ’63.  But then the GVW on the ’63 is only 4,600-lbs, while the ’14 is a hefty 7,200-lbs.  Point: ’14.  The 3.9-liter “Thriftmaster” I-6 in the ’63 only has 140-hp, whereas the 355-hp “EcoTec” V8 in the ’14 cranks out a ridiculous 355-hp.  I thought about giving this one to the ’63, because “Thriftmaster” sounds cooler than “EcoTec,” but you can’t argue with 215 more horsepower.  Point: ’14.  However, the ’63 only cost about $2,000 brand new, while the ’14 is just over $50,000.  Point: ’63.

The fact is, it’s incredible how far truck technology has come in the past 50 years.  The ’63 is a crude, difficult piece of equipment.  Sure, it’s easier to work on, but you have to work on it all the time just to keep it on the road.  The latest Silverado is infinitely more comfortable, safer in every regard, and capable of doing twice as much actual work.  Honestly, they aren’t comparable at all.  The ’63 probably gets it on character points, but the ’14 is the overall runaway winner of this comparison.  When it comes to 2014 Silverado vs. 1963 C-10, Silverado wins handily.  I probably wouldn’t trade for one, though.  BHo would kill me if I let loose of his “Mater.”

I’d like to thank James Grooms, Trisha Leonard, Jennifer Kearney, Ashley Lawson, and Melissa Abbott-Mudd for their efforts as high-fashion models.

For lots of photos of this comparison, click this link!